Rio Olympics 2016: Shobhaa De finally speaks up, regrets her insulting tweet on Indian athletes

De said that even though things had turned around for India in Rio after her insulting remark on Indian athletes, she wasn't happy with two or three medals as it was an opportunity for the country to prove itself.

New Delhi: After receiving massive criticism for her tweet mocking Indian athletes in Rio Olympics 2016, India author Shobhaa De has finally broken her silence.

Speaking to NDTV, Shobhaa said that her tweet obviously backfired as she was trolled on the social micro-blogging site for her insulting tweet.

"I am a sentimental person, when I tweet, I don't calculate. It's said straight from the heart. Sometimes I get it right, sometimes I don't. This time, obviously it backfired. I am being punished for it, shamed for it, trolled for it. What more is required, some sort of public penance?" she said.

Soon after Indian men's hockey team lost their second match 2-3 to Germany, here is what De tweeted on August 8.

Goal of Team India at the Olympics: Rio jao. Selfies lo. Khaali haat wapas aao. What a waste of money and opportunity.

— Shobhaa De (@DeShobhaa) August 8, 2016

Clarifying that the tweet came out of sheer frustration, De added, "There was absolute no malice intended. It was said out of a sense of panic, at that point it did look like we were going to come back khali haanth (empty-handed). It's only in the last two to three days that things have turned around. Having been an athlete myself, it was said out of a sense of deep frustration."

While most of the Indian athletes struggled at Rio, wrestler Sakshi Malik ended the medal-less run when she bagged a bronze medal.

Ace Indian shuttler PV Sindhu followed it by becoming the only Indian shuttler to clinch a silver medal at the biggest sporting extravaganza.

De said even though things had turned around for India in Rio, she wasn't happy with two or three medals.

"Things have turned around and I am delighted to be proved wrong that that at least, if nothing else, we are coming around with two three four five, whatever the final tally may be. But I am an ambitious Indian. I am not happy with a tally of two or three. This was a chance to prove ourselves. The athletes are doing their bit. When I talked about Team India, it also included babus, officials, contingent," she said.